PAP/RAC mourns passing of our Ambassador for the Coast, Predrag Matvejević

Predrag Matvejević, writer, humanist, cosmopolite, polyglot and activist passed away yesterday in Zagreb, Croatia. He dedicated his life to fighting for peace, justice, human rights and wisdom. As he said himself, he was infused with the ideas of liberty, equality, and fraternity. His book "Mediterranean breviary" has been translated to 23 languages. For this work, he was proposed for a Nobel prize for Literature in 2016. According to the nomination letter, "Mediterranean breviary" recalls how our supposed differences could be transformed into reasons for coexistence, enrichment and sharing. This book, as well as his more recent book "The other Venice", exceptionally testifies about the Mediterranean values that we want to safeguard. Prof. Matvejević was also a member of the European "Advisory commission of wise men for the Mediterranean".

For his contribution to the sustainable development of the Mediterranean, PAP/RAC appointed him the "Ambassador for the Coast" in the framework of the Mediterranean Coast Day initiative. As Croatian poet Jure Kaštelan said, he was opening the windows to the sun...

In this tough times for the Mediterranean, we already miss his wisdom and humanity.